Photo: Samir Hussein/WireImage
Prince Williamis steadfast in his objections to a return to royal life forPrince Andrew, according to a report.
Although U.K. authoritiesdecided on Monday not to pursue any further investigationsofQueen Elizabeth’s second son, Andrew remains embroiled in alawsuitover Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s claims that the Duke of York forced her to have sex with him three separate times between 1999 and 2002 — accusations Andrew has consistently denied.
And though Prince Andrew, 61, continues to hold out hope he might one day resume royal duties in some capacity, “There is no way in the world he’s ever coming back, the family will never let it happen,” a royal source toldThe Times of Londonon Sunday.
According to the paper, a friend of William said the Duke of Cambridge, in particular, is “no fan of Uncle Andrew.”
And theTimesreports, another friend has shared that it “triggers” William, 39, that Andrew is perceived to be “ungracious and ungrateful” about his position among the royals. According to this friend, William considers the negativity around his uncle “a risk” and a “threat to the family.”
“Any suggestion that there isn’t gratitude for the institution, anything that could lead anyone in the public to think that senior members of the royal family aren’t grateful for their position, [William thinks] is really dangerous,” adds the friend.
Prince William and Prince Charles.Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty Images
Prince Andrew first announced he would be"stepping back" from public dutiesfollowing backlash from a disastrous BBC interview in November 2019 when he addressed Giuffre’s accusations and attempted to explain his relationship with disgraced American financier Jeffrey Epstein, who died in prison two months before the interview amid allegations of sex trafficking.
In recent months, it’s been reported that both future kings —Prince Charlesand Prince William — are unified in their decision that"there will never be a return to public life for Andrew."
And a source close to the Prince of Wales, 72, previously told theTimesthat Charles “long ago concluded that it is probablyan unsolvable problem” and that “a way back for the duke is demonstrably not possible, because the specter of this [accusation] raises its head with hideous regularity.”
Prince Andrew; Virginia Roberts Giuffre.Alexander Koerner/Getty; Emily Michot/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty
While he continues to fight for his place in the monarchy, Andrew is also gearing up for his legal battle. He has officially been served the lawsuit papers and now has until October 29 to file a formal response.
After Monday’s news that U.K. authorities were dropping his case after a third review, a source close to Andrew told PEOPLE, “Despite pressure from the media and claims of new evidence, the Met have concluded that the claims are not sufficient to warrant any further investigation. The Duke has always vigorously maintained his innocence and continues to do so.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go torainn.org.
source: people.com
